Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers With tight division races in both the NFC North and South, the Green Bay Packers host the Carolina Panthers in Lambeau Field in a game with large playoff implications. Odds makers are calling the Packers home favorites. NFL betting lines have Green Bay at -3 with the total sitting at 42.

This is the time of year that playoff teams separate themselves from the rest of the pack. At 8-3, the Carolina Panther are coming off a tough 45-28 loss at Atlanta last Sunday in a game that they certainly didn't play like a team ready for the postseason. Carolina was pushed around by their divisional foe a week ago.

The Panthers allowed the most points in coach John Fox's tenure, but look to rebound against the Packers.

"I'm sure glad we were more emotionally and technically right in eight of them
than the other three games," Fox said. "The other team practices, too, and it's hard to win all of them."

Meanwhile the Green Bay Packers need to start winning some football games if they intend to be a playoff team. At 5-6 and coming off a loss to New Orleans last Monday night, the Pack have dropped out of first place in the NFC North and now trail the division lead by one game.

"Five games to play, we're not out of anything," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "It's right in front of us. We need to win football games. We know that. That's our focus."

Against the Saints, the Green Bay defense allowed the most points since a 51-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams way back in 1980.

If the weather holds up, the Panthers should be able to put some points up against the Packers defense. Take Carolina getting the 3 points.